The Virginal Concubine
by baby-kitsune9
Summary: Sesshomaru has been feeling the pull of his instincts and can't ignore it any longer. He needs his pack with him- but there is just a few tiny problems- 1) his pack is dead. 2) the only family he has left is a young girl that doesn't know him. and 3)if anyone learns of whom her father is- her life is forfeit. Sesshomaru/Kagome story. Rated M.
1. Chapter 1

**Yo- my peeps, just a short note before I start my new story.**

 **Yes this is a Sesshomaru/Kagome fic. And it will be touching on some stuff that many would find disturbing. One of which is incest- however I would just like to say- way, way back in mid evil times and such nobles and royals used to marry their own kin to keep their bloodlines pure.**

 **In this story Kagome is not only going to be young (like 13 in human years- no worries- there won't be any sex until she's older) and half hayou and human, but is going to be Inuyasha's daughter. His blood daughter.**

 **And it is Inu's already partially diluted blood that makes it so that Sesshomaru can keep Kagome near him, hide her true identity and inevitably mate her.**

 **So without further adieu, please...enjoy my new story.**

 ** _The Virginal Concubine_ **

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The great Lord of the west was many things.

A royal. An assassin.

A general within his own military ranks.

And a little bit of a control freak.

However lately his control hadn't been all that great. Or at leas that was his thought as he surveyed the damage that he had done to his own palace and it's people with an inward cringe as his gold colored eyes locked on the bodies strewn about, the blood staining his floor, walls and ceiling in great arches, as well as the massive claw and teeth marks on various items littering his floor along with everything else.

Such things ranged from fine spun glass, to little pebbles of white marble fizzling slowly away from his acidic saliva.

Disgruntled that he had yet again done something so reckless, he idly wondered if he could downplay the incident as he had the others? At least until he figured out how to fix the problem.

The problem was that he already knew what the issue was. Or part of it rather. It all had something to do with his current state of restlessness and the pull of his instincts to seek out his pack. The restlessness he could have dealt with easily if not for the fact that he had randomly been losing control of himself and his inner beast and destroying things that often times either took weeks to replace, or months.

The pull of his instinct, however, would have been seen to much, much sooner if he hadn't suddenly found himself thrust in the middle of peace treaty negotiations, potential (yet unwanted) matings to greedy bitches ect...

His instincts started to pull at his conscious and subconscious mind sometime after his human ward Rin had died of old age several months prior.

With the loss of Rin, and the death of his long time retainer- Jaken, Sesshomaru had suddenly found himself without the warmth and affection of pack that all inu youkai inevitably craved the presence of once they came of age. Sure he had had Jaken for a long time when he had been younger, and for many, many years that had been enough to keep his instincts from creating chaos within him.

However now that Jaken and Rin were gone from his side, he didn't really have anyone else he considered his pack with the exception of his half brother Inuyasha whom was an inu hayou. Half human, half youkai.

Because of this fact, Sesshomaru had spent many, many years hating and even trying to kill his own younger brother. However all of that had come to an abrupt end when the kumo hayou Naraku had come into power and begun creating havoc everywhere he went.

Sesshomaru had born a grudge against the hayou for the mere fact that he existed and had hunted him down knowing that if he didn't his evil would inevitably spread to his lands and it's people. The very people that he, as a lord had sworn to protect with his life.

It had taken much searching, several years in fact, due to the cleverness of the damndable spider and his schemes. But after almost two in a half years of yielding no results, he had joined up with his half brother and his small group. All of whom had been hunting the kumo down for their own reasons.

Inuyasha because Naraku had nearly caused him to betray his lover. A priestess whom had been injured by the hayou whom had posed as Inuyasha almost causing the woman to kill his brother.

However at the last moment the kumo's scheme had fallen apart and the two had realized that something was wrong with what had happened between them.

Inuyasha had presented the priestess with a rare and beautiful flower that could only be found miles away on one of the mountains. The flower was dangerous for mortals to collect, but youkai and hayou's were entirely different issues. And due to the fresh state of the flower, the priestess had realized that he couldn't have been the one to injured her.

Inuyasha had taken the woman back to her village and helped to take care of her while she had healed, but the scars remained form the imposters claws.

The second person of the group had been the hayou's lover. A quiet woman of great beauty and kindness, but essentially human and thoroughly corruptible.

The third person in the group had been a elderly monk cursed by the kumo.

And the last person had been a demon slayer boy, named Kohaku. Who's family and clan had suffered greatly at the kumo's hands.

It had taken them another year in a half after he had joined them to even come close to finding the kumo and by then he had almost been invincible. Almost being the operative word.

When the final battle had occurred, Sesshomaru recalled how he and his brother had worked together to help vanquish the kumo and restore order to the four corners of japan. For this their group had been referred to as the Inu Taichi. Hero's to all, and destroyers of Naraku.

It was his brother and his friends actions during the final battle with the kumo that had finally won Sesshomaru over completely, before he had left his brother and their mutual friends, he had taken each of them aside and made them all members of his pack. After which the slayer and the monk had taken their leave of them to go back to their families.

Leaving him, his half brother and the priestess alone for a little while. After which his brother had asked him as the alpha of their pack to please allow him to take the woman he loved as his mate so that he would not disgrace her. Being a stickler for things like upholding one's honor, Sesshomaru had understood the hayou's concerns for his lover since if anyone ever found out that she wasn't pure anymore, she could wind up beaten, stoned to death or even passed around the village and raped by all of the males in it since they would see her as little more than a whore.

Sesshomaru had given his blessing for them to mate and had then left so that they would have to privacy to do so, since the hayou was impatient to takes that last step.

He had even followed them back to their village so that he could ensure their safety.

After he was sure that the village would cause them no problems, he had gone back to where his pack had separated and picked up the trail of the other two in his pack. And had tracked them down to their homes, making note of how far away each one lived from the other as well as took note of the region in which they lived so that he could check up on them from time to time.

That had been well over sixty years ago. And all of his pack members were deceased now with the exception of his half brother and possibly his mate.

Sighing because he knew that he couldn't put things off any longer, he ordered the palace hall to be cleaned of the dead bodies- the carpet replaced, the marble fixed where his claws had damaged it, and then ordered a room in the family wing of the palace to be fixed for his remaining pack mates and then without another word, left.


	2. Chapter 2

Many _miles away, just outside of Edo village-_

Kagome sank to her knees next to the funeral pyre of her father, the legendary hayou hero Inuyasha, as tears slipped down her pale cheeks while her two childhood friends, the grandchildren of the two other legendary hero's. Miroku and Sango, stood off to the side watching as she slowly brought her delicately clawed hands up to tear at her long blue black hair before she wrapped her arms around herself and simply sobbed as her little black furred ears flattening against her skull as she cried.

 _Why? Why did this have to happen?_ She wondered as she tilted her head up slightly to stare at the flames as they consumed her father a little more each moment.

Her father had been a great man. Kind, compassionate, just- if a tad bit abrasive personality wise- but that was mostly due to growing up so many years alone.

So why? She just didn't understand... Why had the headman's son, Suichi, killed him? Hadn't her father been a hero to these people for many generations? Their protector from bandits, warlords and the like?

Hearing the soft footfalls of sandaled feet upon the leaves. She slowly turned her head to look at Miroku as he knelt down beside her and wrapped his arms around her.

"I don't understand why this happened Miroku. Why did he kill my father?" Miroku of course had his own theories as to why the headman's son had killed Kagome's father, however he choose to keep them to himself as he hugged the girl close to him.

At eighteen, he was the eldest of the three friends, and since Inuyasha had feared that something like this may one day happen- he had asked that Miroku come to live in the village with them and help him keep an eye on things. But most of all, he had asked that the young monk take care of his daughter if the worst was to happen.

He had mentioned taking Kagome to present her to his half brother and having him claim her as pack, but he had been killed by Suichi just days before the final arrangements for the trip could be made. Leaving Kagome an orphan with only Miroku and Sango to now act as her guardians.

Of course, Miroku wasn't sure how well that was going to work if Suichi came for Kagome as he suspected he might. Sighing, he smoothed his young friend's long hair back from her pale face and carefully used one hand to make her look at him as he said, "I do not know either lady Kagome, but you do not need to worry about such things right now. Sango and I will stay with you and help you out with things around the hut and the village while you grieve so that you will not be alone."

"But what about when you leave to take Sango home?"

Miroku scoffed at the very idea of them leaving her alone in the village on her own for even a second. The hut would likely burn down within an hour of the two of being gone. Leaving poor Kagome homeless until they decided to return.

Well, hypothetically speaking of course.

Kagome actually wasn't that _bad_ on her own. A little clumsy and a tad bit of forgetful from time to time, but essentially _not_ that bad. It was everybody else in the immediate area that he didn't trust worth a damn. Hell he didn't even trust them as far as Sango could throw them, and that was pretty frigging far for a woman.

"You don't have to worry about that for a while now lady Kagome. Sango intended to stay in the village well through the winter and leave sometime in the spring. Isn't that right Sango?" Miroku said as he turned his head to look at the young woman that had moved closer to them while he had been distracting Kagome.

"Oh, yes. I couldn't possibly leave before then Kagome. I have to wait until I've made a proper pest of myself." Sango said with a slight smile as she waited to see how Kagome reacted to her words. When she didn't react in the usual manner, the young woman and monk both began to worry even more about their young friend.

After all, the Kagome that they knew laughed at everything. Usually whether it was appropriate or not. She simply couldn't help herself, she was one of those people who found that laughter- even in the darkest of times- to heal the spirit when it would otherwise breakdown and wither.

For her not to laugh, even at knowing just how somber this occasion was, was truly upsetting to the two. So much so that they felt it would be best to remove her from her father's side so that she could grieve at home, hopefully in peace. Gathering, the girl up in his arms, Miroku picked her up off of the cold ground and with a silent look at Sango, they walked away from what was left Inuyasha.

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Sesshomaru sped across the country using his youkai speed, which caused the great distance of hundreds and hundreds of miles of the western land to vanish until he found himself standing just outside of the village of Edo in an open field, panting from exertion.

It had taken most of the day to get here without running, and he couldn't help the sudden feeling of anxiousness that consumed him. Almost as if- **_Something is wrong._** His beast growled as he began walking across the field, heading in the direction of where he thought his brother and his mate lived.

It never occurred to him that his half brother had not lived in the village for almost fifty years. So naturally upon reaching the village, when he couldn't find the hut in question, he was more than a little bit confused/frustrated.

However he could _smell_ his brother. Or at least someone that had _carried_ his scent.

Tilting his head back, he scented the air while turning in a full circle and finding himself facing towards the direction that he had just come and after scowling for a moment, began walking again- hoping that he wasn't for some reason walking in a circle.

He walked back out of the village, and continued to follow his nose a good ways into the forest before he finally came upon a hut. Which happened to be where his brother's scent was the strongest and slowly made his way over and slipped past the nori curtain hanging over the door and stepped inside.

Blinking because of the wane light in the room, he took it the surroundings of the hut. Noting how neat and tidy everything was. There was no dust, no dirty dishes. Everything was placed just so- and expected to stay that way until something was in use.

Many of the items had his half brother's scent upon them. While others had the scents of others upon them. One adolescent human male. An adolescent human female. And the last scent belonged to...a mixed blooded female. An inu female from the smell of her meaning that his little brother and his mate had had a pup.

He wasn't sure what shocked him more at the moment.

Knowing that his brother lived outside of his home village, with two humans that did not belong to him, or the fact that he had actually managed to do what other hayou's had found was almost impossible to do due to his unstable blood. And sired a pup.

He was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn't sense the mortals heading towards the hut. He didn't sense them, but he did however hear them as they spoke.

"I'm worried about Kagome now that Inuyasha-sama is gone. Especially with Suichi possibly after her. It isn't good for a young girl to not have any family!" A female voice said softly, as Sesshomaru turned his head a little bit so that he could listen a little bit better.

"I agree Sango, but until we find out just what Suichi wants with lady Kagome there is little that we can do aside from make sure that she isn't left alone until things are settled and Suichi is dealt with." A male voice said before then tacking on, "Besides, lady Kagome has family. Inuyasha-sama spoke several days before his death about having a brother-" Sesshomaru went eerily still as the males words slowly seeped into his mind. "He was going to take lady Kagome to present her to his brother and have her marked as part of their pack- but Suichi killed him before he could finalize his plans."

"And he never said who his brother was so that we could take her and perhaps explain the situation?"

"No. I believe that Inuyasha-sama wished to take her in person because he worried that his brother would not accept her otherwise."

"But if his brother is youkai like he was- Shouldn't he be able to smell Inuyasha'sama's scent on Kagome."

"Yes, however those who are born with less youkai blood usually have less youkai attributes. For instance, despite the fact that lady Kagome was born of a hayou father and a priestess mother- she herself is essentially more human than her uncle and her father. As such she would smell differently. And since she carries his scent even in the smallest of ways- her honor could be called into question if the wrong conclusions were drawn."

"B-But she has the same ears and claws her father did!" The female exclaimed.

"Yes, but that is only because her mother's holy energy didn't completely purify her youkai blood."

"But if she has the ears and claws, doesn't she have other youkai-"

"Yes. Although she was partially purified by her mother while still in the womb, Inuyasha-sama's youkai traits are still strong within her. She has the fangs, the claws the ears- however her sense are somewhat duller. Though still a great deal better than our own."

"Hmm. I don't get it. That sounds rather contradictory."

The unknown male chuckled, the sound coming from right outside of the door causing the youkai lord to tense up as he waited with his heart in his mouth for the possible confrontation to come. The curtain lifted revealing a young man with violet colored eyes and a face all too familiar to Sesshoamru, wearing deep purple monk robes. And in his arms he carried a small, petite formed female wearing a sapphire blue kimono with black and silver cherry blossoms embroidered onto the fabric of her sleeve and along the bottom of her kimono's skirt.

He couldn't see her face due to the fact that she had it turned into the male's shoulder, but he could plainly see the little black furred inu ears similar to his younger brother's own, and beyond that was long silken blue black hair that fell well past the female's waist.

The two males stared each other down for a moment before the human turned his head slightly and asked, "Hey Sango, are you seeing the new fixture in our home?"

"The female voice from before pipped up as a young woman peeked over the males unoccupied shoulder. "You mean the seven foot tall one all in white?"

"Yes that would be it. Do you know him?"

"Uh- no. I make a habit of wanting to live."

"Funny given your occupation as a demon slayer."

"Stop being a jerk and ask him what he wants. If we're lucky he'll rape you instead of me or Kagome." The woman growled at the male. Causing him to gulp and look more than a little bit _green_ at the possibility.

"U-Uh- H-Hello good sir. M-May I ask why you have come here?" The male asked politely, or rather as politely as he could to avoid a possible raping anyways. Sesshomaru didn't know how exactly to react to the female's remark about his sexuality, but he assumed that he should at least maim one of them for the insult.

"Silence human." He said in a tone that was neither harsh nor cruel. If anything the fact that his mind was going over various details that he had learned about his brother and the small female in the males arms that was obviously his niece. Reaching out, he carefully took the pup from the male before he could protest and looked down at the face of his only true remaining blood kin.

She was a lovely child. Truly she was.

Her features were almost like that of a small tenchi rather than a quarter blooded hayou. Her skin was the color of ivory, her cheeks colored slightly with a delicate pink flush, her eyes were red rimmed from what he assumed must have been from crying, and her lips were a lovely shade of soft rose.

"Um- sir? C-Could I please have my friend back?" The male asked him, his unease was evident by the tone of his voice as Sesshomaru slowly lifted his eyes to look at the male and bared his teeth at him and snarled.

"No." And before either the male or female could so much as react, he left from the hut in a blur of motion that knocked the two over, out of his way- taking his niece with him.


	3. Chapter 3

Sesshomaru didn't bother leaving the immediate area. He had too many questions for the two human's that had been with his niece about how his brother had died, why, and so on to bother going terribly far with the small female in his arms. However he did wish to spend a few hours in her presence, drawing comfort from her and soothing her grief and bonding with her if he could as was customary.

So once he found a clearing in the forest that was an acceptable distance from the humans, he erected a sturdy barrier and then carefully dropped down to the ground and settled the little female in his grasp in his lap and began crooning softly as he hugged her close to his chest.

He wasn't wearing his usual armor, so hugging her was much easier than it would have been with it on. This way he could feel the warmth of her small body as he continued to croon in her ear and wrapped a strand of her long hair around his finger and toyed with it.

He could feel every breath that came and went form her lungs, the soft thudding of her little heart underneath her ribs, could hear the rush of blood in her veins- he could smell her naturally sweet floral scent mixed with the scent of his dead brother and felt like crying as he hugged her even closer to him, not realizing the pressure that he was putting on her young body until she started to whine and attempt to push him away.

"Shhh." He said softly against her ear as he slowly relinquished his grip, somewhat so that she would stop struggling. It took her a moment or so, but finally she stopped moving and attempting to escape his grasp and her whines died down to a whimper before she fell silent again for a while.

Letting him resume his crooning as he nuzzled her soft hair and breathed deeply of her scent so that he could memorize it and file it away in the back of his mind for later.

He must have sat like that for a while. Well over an hour in a half at least, before his niece finally started to awaken and shift herself in his arms to make herself more comfortable.

"Hmm... Roku?" She muttered in a sleep muddled tone as she moved her head a little bit so that she was rubbing her cheek against his silk clad shoulder. "Lemme up... Your lap isn't an very good long term bed."

Sesshomaru remained quiet though he was fighting the urge to growl in outrage.

He didn't know who this 'Roku' was, or why she would be sleeping in his lap- but he was going to damn well find out and stop her from ever sleeping in his lap again. After all, despite how her father had lived, he had been a royal and that made her one too.

And royals didn't go sleeping in weird males laps. To do so was to insinuate things about one's lack of character and honor. So he waited until she was at least semi awake before he even bothered to speak. "Who is Roku? And just _why_ have you been sleeping in his lap?"

He felt her stiffen in his grasp and then slowly pushed herself away from him a little bit so that she could see his face. Her eyes were blue, not gold or amber like his or her father's. Hell she didn't even have her mother's eyes. Kikyo's eyes had been black if his memory served him well.

She frowned at him, and seemed to be trying to figure out just how she had come to be in his possession when she noticed the color of his hair and eyes and gasped. "Your an inu youkai." It wasn't an accusation though to his ears it certainly sounded almost like one.

"I am."

"You have gold eyes."

"I do."

"How did I get here? Where is Roku and Sango? You didn't hurt them did you?" She asked the questions innocently enough, but it didn't seem to stop him from growling at her in vexation and release his hold on her so that he could use one hand to push her over onto the ground so that he could stand.

It was a slightly rasher movement than he had meant for it to be. but it wasn't like he had just beat her black and blue or anything. In fact he'd be surprised if she suffered anything short of wounded pride.

She let out a small squeak as she fell over sideways off of his lap and lay on the ground for a few moments watching him, with a confused expression on her pretty little face.

"To answer some of your questions- your friends are not far from here. I'm assuming that they are trying to find us as we speak. You needn't worry, I didn't injure either of them. Though I still would like to. They were very rude and made insinuations about my person. I do not however know who Roku and Sango are so I couldn't say if they were the ones with you. Now I have a question. Who's Roku?"

"Oh, um...he's the guy with the violet eyes."

 _The monk?_ He wondered as he recalled the brief encounter that he'd had with the two. "I see. And why would you be sleeping in his lap?"

"Huh? Oh- I always do. I have ever since I was little and he would come to visit with his dad."

"I see." So it was a mere childhood habit and nothing more. Well at least he wouldn't have to seriously injure or kill the monk the next time he saw him. He doubted that the pup would like him very much if he killed, injured or maimed either of her rude friends. "Next question, what is your name little one? And how old are you?"

"Kagome. And I think I'm about fifty years old." She replied as he stared at her for a moment, trying to gauge whether or not she was lying to him. From the fact that there was no change in her scent, he could tell that she was being honest with him. Which meant that she had been born about ten years after Naraku's defeat.

Which in human years put her physical and mental state at that of a twelve or thirteen year old. Old enough for a human to be mature enough to mate and have pups, but not nearly old enough to a youkai or hayou pup to do the same.

That was good. That meant that if he took her back to the palace, he would have many years with her before she reached mating age. And once she did...he would be beating suitors off of her with a stick, a goat, a horse, some severed limbs, his military...

Hell- if he thought that it would stop the males from flocking to her- he would fire his generals and a good portion of his military from catapults.

"What is your name?" He voice cut through his thoughts like a knife, drawing his instant and undivided attention to back to her as he replied.

"I am Lord Sesshomaru, your uncle."

This got a reaction out of her. A quick one if the way that she moved was any indication at all. One moment she was still laying on the ground staring up at him and the next she was up and on her feet and in his personal bubble, her blue eyes wide as she stared him down before stammering out. "R-Really? Your my uncle?!" Before her shoulders slumped slightly and she then muttered, "I didn't even know that I had an uncle. Dad never spoke of anyone else in our family to me."

Sesshomaru heard her and felt a painful ache settle in his chest upon hearing her words. But then he supposed that he shouldn't be surprised by the fact that his brother next mentioned him to her, after all, he had stopped visiting his brother and his mate long before she had been born.

Leaning down a little bit at the waist, he looked her in the eye and demanded that she tell him about herself and then walked over to a tree and sat down under it and rested his back against the trunk as he waited fro her to speak.

When she finally did, her life wasn't what he had expected it to be.

In fact her life had been... _plagued_ with misfortune. First Kikyo had died in childbirth. And not long after Inuyasha had assumed responsibility for raising her- his brother had been chased from the village after being attacked while in his home. Apparently the villagers had forgotten about the fact that his brother had helped defeat Naraku and as such they had decided that the hayou wasn't worth having around anymore and had chased him out after setting his hut on fire with him and his daughter in it.

He had rebuilt, far from the village. However they had suffered other things as well. Starvation in the middle of the winter, illness, every crop that his brother managed to plant and grow- was destroyed by some of the villagers. Time after time after time.

He had had no money in which to buy things like grain, rice, clothing for himself or Kagome- if not for the fact that he knew how ingenuitive his brother could be- he would have wondered how he had managed to keep the two of them alive and in fairly good health.

By the time she reached the explanation of how his brother had died, he found himself focusing on every minute detail to go over again later when he was alone. Apparently the village headman's son, Suichi (how he hated that name) had somehow managed to get the drop on his brother by catching him unawares during his human night and murdered him by running him through in his own home like a coward.

Kagome didn't explain much as to how she knew it was Suichi whom had killed her father, she merely said that his scent had been in their home and on the weapon that had killed her father. And Roku had said something about his brother not liking how the male had been staring at Kagome.

Sesshomaru was able to draw his own conclusions upon hearing this, and none of them spelled out anything good for his niece. But he would worry about that later, before he killed the coward and took Kagome away from here.


	4. Chapter 4

Once the pup finished speaking, she looked as if she were close to crying again. Which meant that he needed to think quickly to distract her otherwise he would have the little one bawling all over him. And as her elder and only remaining kin- it would be Sesshomaru's duty to calm her and croon to her some more. Probably until his voice gave out and his throat started bleeding from the various vibrations that he put his vocal chords through.

Blurting out the only thing that he could think of, Sesshomaru asked her what her favorite flower was. Causing his niece to look at him with a semi puzzled expression on her pretty little face as he pressed, "You do have one, don't you?" Happy that the pup was sufficiently distracted by his question, he waited patiently for her to reply when instead she walked over to him and took his hand in hers and gave his arm a small tug.

"What is it pup? Surely my question isn't all that difficult to answer." He said gently as he let her pull on his arm until he was on his feet again before she asked him.

"Which way is the hut?"

He pointed and she nodded her head and then released his hand as she simply said, "Follow me uncle." And then hiked up the skirt of her kimono a little bit and then started running through the forest.

Curious to see what the pup was up too, he followed close behind her but at a more sedate pace since he didn't want to accidentally step on her or knock her over by running into her. No- he made sure that he stayed as close as he dared too while allowing a foot or so to separate them at all times.

Which was no easy feat for the youkai lord. But he managed easily enough thanks to all the times he had run behind Rin and accidentally crashed into, knocked her over, and stepped on her at one time or another during their travels when she had been but a pup herself. All of which she had made him suffer for _immensely_ by refusing to speak to him, grace his ears with her sweet little nonsensical songs about the beauty of nature, or even look at him for days.

Why there had even been a time, not long after she had turned eleven when she had for some reason that he _still_ couldn't fathom- adopted a goat- despite his protests and trying to convince her that it was evil (he may be a youkai but he knew something sinister when he saw it that that damn goat had red eyes! Like Naraku!) why for a while there he had been totally convinced that the goat was Naraku in a new incarnation and had tried to get rid of it when he thought she wasn't paying attention.

He'd given it to his palace cook (for obvious disposal) and had been happy to think that it was finally gone- until...he had gone to tuck the girl in that same night and the damn thing had head butted him in the groin!

After that the palace had fallen into a state of what could only be described as a war zone.

Sesshomaru had face down that goat more times than he could count and every time- the blasted thing somehow had escaped his grasp! It wasn't until he became so angry with the creature that his efforts to destroy it became more and more obvious- one such occasion had been when he had run by Rin while she had been walking her...he used the term pet loosely- really loosely- and grabbed it and run outside and tied it to a spit over an open flame and was about to have his long awaited victory over the beast when Rin had walked up and sighed and said, "If you had simply wanted it gone, why didn't you say so?"

Which, in more than one way than he cared to admit, had rained on his parade a little bit as Rin had untied the beast and taken it off somewhere.

However even after it had been rid of, the long term effects of having the beast in his home for so long still lingered to this day. Every time he so much as heard a goat, smelled a goat, or looked at one- his left eye twitched a little bit and he had to tamp down on the nearly overwhelming urge to snarl as fiercely as possible.

Rin had thought it funny.

Sesshomaru though, not so much.

Suddenly his niece came to a stop, causing him to stop moving as well as he blinked away the memories of his beloved human daughter to find himself in a slightly unfamiliar area that looked almost like a flower garden. Taking a moment to look around at the various plants and the little hand made stone bench that sat several feet straight ahead of him.

The small area was nowhere as impressive as his own garden back at the palace, but it was fairly impressive for one of it's size. The various trees and flowers planted within the area was nice as well. Nothing within the lush greenery smelled too strongly, everything was balanced really well.

Even the various flowers was well balanced.

From what he could see, there were some wild flowers, some white, violet and pastel purple orchids, irises, white, red, and pink tiger lilies, lily of the valley, wild roses in red and pink, there were several lilac trees and wisteria vines that climbed up a few trees, one of which was a large willow which seemed to be the focal point of the garden.

"This was mom's garden. The village was too crowded for her to have one there, so after she and dad mated- he came here and began fixing this place to serve as mom's sanctuary/mating gift. And then after mom died giving birth to me, he would bring me here almost every day. At least until I learned how to walk, and then he worried about me running away from here and getting into mischief. But I can remember there were days when he would bring me here, even then and let me play, and pick the flowers, and climb the willow tree and nap there... This is one of my favorite places in the world. It's one of the few things that I have left of them both."

"You're father did well. I never knew that he was so creative."

"Yeah. He used to use his claws to make me little wooden dolls to play with, stuff to sell when we needed money. He even made some of my cloaks and fur lined kimono's to wear during the winters. And when he wasn't doing that, he was teaching me how to read and write and do math-"

Sesshomaru frowned at this. To his knowledge Inuyasha had never been formally educated. So then how had he taught her such things? He wondered when she finally said, "Mom taught him. She said that it was perfectly fine for him to be a swordsman, but without an education of some kind people would take advantage of him and mistake him for a heathen. So she taught him so that those things wouldn't happen, and he taught me for the same reasons- although I think maybe he took things a step too far when he tried to teach me to be a lady."

"I-I see." Sesshomaru said, though he didn't see, he didn't even understand. Just what had she meant when she had said that Inuyasha had tried to teach her to be a lady? He was dying to know when the pup clammed up on him before simply stating.

"I hated those lessons. Dad always got so moody during and after them."

"Perhaps in some way you reminded him of your mother."

"Doubtful. If that had been why, things wouldn't have been so bad."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that he was always comparing me and mom and telling me that I wasn't as good as she was at anything. I couldn't do the tea ceremony right, not like mom could. I had troubles at first learning how to sew- unlike my mom. I didn't look like her. I had none of her grace, her poise or pride..."

"Sounds like your father needed a sound thrashing." Sesshomaru growled out from between clenched teeth.

"Maybe. Which is why I got in the habit of kicking him in the shin every time he started saying such things."

"That is a bad habit to have."

"So is sticking around afterwards so that the mad man can stick you with his claws or sword."

Sesshomaru didn't know what else to say to her so he merely hummed in agreement before asking her if she would like to return to her friends. He still had much information to gather and plans to make before he could take her away. Plus he had a village headman's son to kill to avenge his brother's death and the only people that he could think of to speak to now were the two humans that seemed to be awfully emotionally connected to his niece.


	5. Chapter 5

Upon returning his niece to the hut, Sesshomaru noted that the human female was strong arming the male outside in a female's kimono, wearing a vivid red lip rouge that didn't go well with his complexion. The moment that the two bickering humans saw them- the female shoved the male out of her way rather roughly, much to his disbelief, and ran for his niece with a happy expression on her young face.

"Kagome! Oh Kagome!" She cried as she wrapped her arms around the pup and hugged her while she absently rubbed her hands along the pup's back as if she were either searching her for physical injury or trying to sooth her as one would a human pup.

H supposed that it could go a little bit either way, as the male hobbled over to the pup and heaved a great sigh as he reached up with one hand and removed the rouge from his lips before saying, "Thank heavens you have reurned, Lady Kagome! Do you see what this mad woman has forced me into?" He said with a slight glare at the female who silently snarled back at him.

Sesshomaru remained silent as he watched curiously as his niece handled the two.

Kagome's little ears flattened back against her head as she held her little clawed hands up in a placating gesture and said, "Now, now Miroku. We both know that that Kimono- while meant for a girl- looks very fetching on you. The color really brings out your pretty eyes. And Sango how many times have I told you that dressing Miroku up as a girl isn't the answer to every little problem that pops up."

The two humans automatically calmed themselves down to a degree as the male reached out and ruffled the pup's hair a little bit as he looked at Sesshomaru thoughtfully before saying, "Will you introduce your new friend to us Lady Kagome? That way we know who he is. Perhaps if the two of you would like we can even have him come inside for tea."

Kagome clapped her hands together and grinned as she said, "Oh! That would be wonderful Miroku! I have some stuff to tell you both."

"And we are eager to hear everything you have to say, Lady Kagome. Now, how about that introduction?"

"Oh! Yes, of course. Sorry for being rude guys, this big guy behind me is a fellow inu youkai. A pureblood. He also claims that he is my uncle whom is a demon lord. His name is Sesshomaru. Uncle Sesshomaru, these two are my childhood friends and close friends of the family, Miroku and Sango."

Sesshomaru hummed and inclined his head as he finally realized who the two were. Despite how many years it had been since he had last seen all of the members of his pack, he recalled being at the sides of the monk and demon slayer when their ends had come.

It was somewhat vague, but he could even recall the names Sango and Miroku as the names of his pack mate's grandchildren. He had only laid eyes on them once, and at the time they had only been infant pups themselves. He supposed that it was only right that his brother had maintained bonds that he himself had forgotten long ago. Even if it hadn't been completely on purpose.

"I see," Miroku said as he bowed to Sesshomaru to show his respect. Whereas it was on the tip of Sesshomaru's tongue to tell him that pack didn't bow to their alpha- but at the last moment held his tongue thinking that he couldn't really call himself an alpha when he had all but abandoned the blood kin of his original pack for quite some time. "Well lord Sesshmaru, please come inside and sit for a while and share some tea with us. I kind of need to change my clothes, so if you don't mind being entertained by a slayer with a foul temper- _OMPH!_ " Mirku was abruptly and violently cut off by an sharp elbow to the stomach that had him doubled over trying to re catch his breath as Kagome gasped and then growled out,

"Sango! Stop doing that to Roku! Especially in front of company, I know that you have better manners than that! I beat them into your skull myself!"

 _Roku_. Sesshomaru thought to himself as he turned his gold eyes to the young man and put two and two together. _Ah, so he is Roku. I suppose that I can let slide the fact that she has been sleeping in his lap._ Especially since the male in question was pack and it was normal to seek out comfort from him in some small way.

Miroku chuckled at Kagome and quietly bent down and slipped his arms around her torso and picked her up and then started walking as Sango shouted back at her, "You beat manners into my skull- Ha! You have to have manners in order to teach someone else!"

"Calm down now Sago, you know exactly what Lady Kagome meant so there isn't any need to get offended." Miroku said in a pacifying tone as he walked off a little ways before the female huffed and then muttered something underneath her breath about the male playing favorites again and then looked at Sesshomaru and sighed as she said politely,

"Please follow me."

Sesshomaru balked for a moment at the female's words, however he was an inu- not some meek creature that would run and hide behind his niece's skirt. Yet after a moment or so he fell into step behind her anyways, no matter how much his instinct told him to avoid the loud, angry, slayer.

Once they were inside the hut, Sesshomaru seated and made himself comfortable close to the hearth as the slayer went about stoking the fire already burning there to ward off the slight chill in the air while his niece went about fixing the tea that they would drink.

"I hope that you don't mind one of the teas that I made myself," The pup said as she carefully spooned out some honey into the tea cups while the water warmed over the fire. "Dad used to like the teas that I made for him. In fact his favorite was the vanilla, honey and spice tea that I came up with. And Sango's favorite is the vanilla, rose tea. Mine is the vanilla, honey, and lily tea. And Miroku likes black tea with spices in it. But I think we'll all have to drink the same one for now since I've started to run out of tea ingredients for the time being. So I hope that you don't mind the vanilla, white tea and lotus blossom that I made."

Sesshomaru blinked at the pup and only gave her a slight upward tilt of his lips to encourage her to continue. Despite how unappetizing the last blend sounded to him, he would still drink it without complaint simply because she had kindly made him a cup.

Depending on how much he wished to please her, which was pretty damn much right now given how he had been an absentee alpha for so long, he may even ask for more.

Once the tea was ready and Miroku had rejoined the little group in his regular clothing, he took one whiff of the beverage and practically jumped across the table just to get his hands on his cup. The mere sight of his excitement almost had Sesshomaru frozen with his own tea cup in his clawed hands, his gold eyes warily staring the male down as he all but tossed the scalding hot liquid back as if it were sake.

"Miroku, slow down! You'll choke." Kagome said as Sesshomaru took a moment to scent the drink in his hands and was pleasantly surprised by the way it smelled. So much so that his mouth started watering. Lifting the drink a bit more, he blew on it a little bit and then took a sip and held the liquid in his mouth so that he could taste it fully.

Upon doing so, he almost immediately did as the human male had done and gulped it all down and demanded second. It tasted amazing! Truly he'd _never_ had anything quite like it before in his life, it was simply delicious.

"Do you like it?" Kagome asked with a slight tilt of her head. Sesshomaru merely hummed and nodded as he slowly took another sip. His mind chanting, _I must not guzzle the tea, I must not guzzle the tea_ \- Because doing so would be terribly unseemly of him as a noble. He had better manners than that.

"Our dear Lady Kagome is quiet talented with her tea making." Miroku said as he reached out and gently patted the pup on the head.

"Yes, she but she is talented at other things as well. Music-"

"Oh yes, I forgot that she could play the flute."

"Herbal remedies for nausea, sleep deprivation, fever, illness, headaches. Why she can even make a tea and a body rub to help overly stressed people relax."

"Hn, I had forgotten that one as well." Miroku said as he finally placed his half empty tea cup down on the table.

"She is excellent with a needle and thread- and even made and embroidered the kimono that she currently wears," The slayer continued while Sesshomaru listened to her gush on and on about his nieces talents. "She does wonderful work with flower arranging, makes her own sweet smelling soaps and perfumes and lotions- We have some in jars and such if you would like to see for yourself."

Sesshomaru merely nodded his head absently and watched as the slayer stood up and went to fetch the items in question as he then turned his eyes back to his niece and frowned. Things like sweet smelling soaps, perfumes and lotions were usually used by nobles since they were the only ones who could afford such things. And if the pup was truly as talented at making things as the slayer had suggested then why the hell did she not live better?

He was certain that part of the reason must have something to do with her hayou like appearance, still- humans were not the only ones who could take advantage of her seemingly many talents.

Demons of the higher social classes could too. Though she was still of his noble, royal bloodline and no one was higher than himself and her in station- no one would have known that by simply _looking_ at her. No- she would have had to carry his families crest upon her person in either a jewelry form or worn it upon her clothing before anyone would have even realized that she belonged to his household in some way as a female of noble birth.

When the slayer returned, she set down a large woven basket with twenty differently scented soaps, ten containers of differently scented perfumes and twenty jars of lotion that Sesshomaru took several moments to sort through and sniff to test the quality and such as he asked various questions about what was used for each of the items. Once he finished up, he set the basket aside and asked the pup if she would like to sell her items.

When she didn't immediately answer, he pulled out his coin purse and laid ten gold pieces and fifteen silver and ten bronze on the table and then pushed them over to her side of the table and then told her that is she had any more items such as the ones in the basket- he would like to see them.

Turned out- the pup had been very busy during the fall, spring and summer months when the ingredients for her items were the freshest and most easily collected. She had an entire room full of nothing but shelves upon shelves, upon shelves of lotions, soaps, and perfumes.

And the second that Sesshomaru saw this, he realized that perhaps he was a little bit over his head. Still, he liked the things that his niece had made, and was willing to not only buy them from her but pay her several treasure chests of jade, gold, silver, and gems just to get his hands on them.

Of course he would have to procure a wagon to carry everything back to the palace in. And he already had some idea of which items he planned to keep for the pups personal use once she was in the palace with him.

He rather fancied some of the scents that she had managed to blend together.

Like the white tea and peach. The wisteria. The vanilla and lily. The orchid and pear blossom. There were even some that males could use! Which surprised him almost as much as the rest. One of which he had discovered for the use of males- smelled strongly of rain mist. Another smelled wonderfully of lemongrass and green tea. And then there was the lightly scented sandle wood and spice. And the last one he found smelled of bamboo and ginger. Which in itself wasn't bad either, but didn't really tug at him any. Still it was _nice_.

He liked two of them already and really couldn't tell which he liked more like a favorite at the moment. He figured that he'd have time to figure it out later. But it was really a toss up between the rain mist and sandle wood spice. Though the lemongrass came in at a close third.

Turning back to his niece, and her two human companions, he told her what he planned as far as payment went and that he would have to bring a wagon next time. And then asked if she had enough stuff to make some more of the teas that she had mentioned earlier. If so then he would buy those from her as well.

She told him that some of the ingredients would be harder to find this time of year, but she would try and do her best. At which point he placed his hand on her head and gently ruffled her hair in much the same way that he used to do with Rin when she had been a pup, and then told the three to expect him again within the next three days, and then quietly left knowing that he wouldn't be leaving the immediate area until he was certain of some things.

He hadn't been able to ask his questions about his brother's killer with the pup present. Se had been through a bit too much in the past day or so, learning of his existence caused some issues all on it's own. But he had no wish to upset the pup with his questions so he would stick around the area in the hopes that he could get the male alone and ask them then.


	6. Chapter 6

Sesshomaru spent the next two days observing his niece and her two human friends as they went about their daily life and routines while he hid himself and his aura so that they wouldn't know that he was nearby. Andin the two days that he had been there, he had witnessed his niece's hard work and diligence, both the articles already finished, and the ones that she had newly started. Her mind didn't function like her friend's minds did, nor even as his own did.

Her's seemed to be going at a pace much too fast to fathom. Causing her to flit from one project to another as easily as she drew breath. And he had to say- she was one, very strange little pup.

Hard working yes. Forgetful to a degree, sure, why not.

But strange nevertheless. However there was nothing wrong with that fact, even he tended to get weird from time to time. Or so Rin had told him once when she had caught him sneaking off with some of her slippers and one of her kimono's due to the fact that he'd not been resting as well as he should have for almost a month and hadn't wanted to resort to dragging his grown ward to his bedchamber, seeing as it would have ruined her reputation and caused others to label her his whore.

So he had let his reputation take a small hit, and when another person had teased him about liking women's clothing his only response to their jokes had been to dress in a woman's kimono and put his hair up and eat his dinner among the other lords, his generals and some other officials visiting his palace at the time.

No one had teased him anymore after that, though Rin had been nice enough to pat him on the back and thank him for his trouble. Making the pain of embarrassment well worth it.

Still...the past two days that he had been watching his niece and her human companions , he had spent a great deal of time unable to take his eyes off of her while he had begun to memorize her quirks, habits, her work methods, and other things. Things like how she dressed, what she wore, how she groomed herself, as well as any bothersome eating habits that she may have had.

In all honesty he had been memorizing everything that his watchful gold colored eyes took note of.

Including how many breaths she took a every minute, the soft fluttering of her pulse in her throat, even the way that she sometimes frowned, scowled, and even the way that she held herself so perfectly still and tended to tilt her head every now and then whenever he could almost _swear_ that she was attempting to seek him out subconsciously. Almost as if she was very keenly aware of the fact that he was still close by.

And perhaps she was _trying_ to seek him out every time she went totally still and tilted her head. When she did so, her aura would swell and grow substantially and branch out to brush against his own for several moments as if it wasn't able to place his aura as his while it remained hidden.

If he was perfectly honest with himself about this fact, he knew that it had much to do with her being a pup since pups usually soaked up the aura's of the most powerful people near them in an effort to help their youki grow in strength. And while she had already had many years to do this with her own father- and as such her youki wasn't nearly as weak as he had thought it would be- he shuddered to think what she may be soaking up from the aura's of her human friends since it could interfere with and weaken what strength her youki already had.

It was of course on this day that he finally managed to get the monk alone, mainly by ambushing him when he had been out in the forest surrounding the area where the hut had been built and grabbing the young male and jerking him up into the trees overhead before the startled human could so much as shriek.

Once back among the higher tree branches, Sesshomaru released the male and allowed him to stagger back a step or so before reaching out again to grab him before he fell off of the limb that they were standing on and waited patiently for the male to get his bearings before he slowly retracted his arm again.

"Wha- How are- Lord Sesshomaru, if I may be bold- What the hell are you doing grabbing me like that?!" The monk glowered at him as Sesshomaru ignored his little tantrum and settled himself against the trunk of the tree so that he was leaning his back against it with his arms and ankles crossed in a relaxed pose.

"Silence," Sesshomaru said with an annoyed look at the fuming male before stating, "I have questions about my brother's death." His words seemed to catch the male off guard a little bit as he sighed and let some of the tension in his body ease.

"Then why didn't you simply ask your questions before?" The monk asked in a peeved tone.

"I did not wish to upset the pup." Sesshomaru said casually as his eyes flickered away from the male's face for a moment.

"That's very considerate of you. Not so much for me since I'm now having chest pains- but nice of you to think of Lady Kagome's feelings." Miroku said as he waited for his heart to slow a little more so that his chest wouldn't ache anymore. Truly, the lord had no idea just how close Kagome had just come to losing someone else dear to her. It felt as if his heart were trying to jump right out of his chest!

Sesshomaru blinked at him, and then hummed and waited for him to quiet down before saying. "I wish you to tell me just how a weak human male managed to slay my brother and leave my niece an orphan."

Miroku opened his mouth to speak and then stopped for a moment before asking stupidly, "You know about Suichi?"

Sesshomaru nodded his head, his expression somber.

"Very well. The long and short of it is this- Suichi has been dogging Inuyasha-sama for some time about taking Kagome..."

"As his mate?" Sesshomaru asked, his expression growing dark as the monk seemed to hesitate about something before finally saying.

"No. Suichi is already married. However his wife is barren and cannot give him any children. And Lady Kagome, not only comes from your noble bloodline, but that of her mother whom is famous around here as the former keeper of the Shikon no Tama. When Naraku was destroyed and Inuyasha and Lady Kikyo returned here to live after mating, many people sought Lady Kikyo out. Viewing her as a prize. Not only because of her beauty and intellect, but also because of Naraku's defeat and the existence of the Shikon no Tama."

"Things got so bad that for a while, Sango's grandfather, Kohaku-sama had to dwell within the village just to help Inuyasha-sama defend his mate and protect the cursed jewel. Finally after much battling, Lady Kikyo grew tired of being sought after and fought over and made a wish on the jewel that was supposed to destroy it. However it didn't. Instead the jewel fused with her body. It was not long after that, that she and your brother discovered that they were to be parents... And on the night that Lady Kagome was born- her mother not only passed to the afterlife, but Inuyasha-sama believed that the sacred jewel had somehow come to be passed on to Lady Kagome."

"There aren't that many people alive in today's day and age who know anything about Naraku and the sacred jewel, but the few who do or have come by the knowledge have shown up here to collect Lady Kagome for one reason or another. Most simply want her as a concubine or to use as they please, which is disgusting really. Though there have been some that had simply wanted to breed her to gain possession of the jewel. Suichi- due to being denied so many times, had given up on gaining her from your brother at one time."

"However he somehow either found out about the jewel or finally gained knowledge of who Lady Kagome's parents really were and simply wants her as another conquest. His offer was- and I say the term loosely- rather generous. He gets to bed her as he wishes, and even breeds her- and once their child is born and he tires of her- he will kill her and the child to gain the sacred jewel. Apparently he already has another female up to carry his heir, and so only needs Lady Kagome to hand over the jewel."

Sesshomaru was silent as he mulled over what the monk said and then asked, "Do you believe that he killed Inuyasha with the intent of getting him out of the way so that he could gain Kagome?"

"Yes. I believe so."

"When will he come for her?"

"It will not be too much longer, he wants her to realize what she's lost and become full of fear and despair so that he can manipulate her into doing as he wishes."

 _"Despicable waste of flesh."_

"I agree with you there, lord Sesshomaru... May I ask what it is that you plan to do?"

"I will avenge my brother and then remove Kagome from this place and keep her in my palace."

"Is that a good idea?"

"She is pack, no one will refute my word." Or at least he didn't think anyone would especially since no one knew who she was. Inuyasha to his knowledge had never so much as sent a letter to him detailing her birth nor her name.

"And if someone does refute your word? If someone is a threat to her- what will you do then?"

"I will hide Kagome's identity and still keep her by my side until I can remove the threat to her. But I very much doubt that something like that will happen." Sesshomaru said, sure that things would go smoothly since he had to return to the palace later today to fetch a wagon and see to it that Kagome's room and clothing and such were ready for when he brought her back with him in a day or so.


	7. Chapter 7

_Famous last words,_ if there had ever been any ever spoken- Sesshomaru's prior words to the young monk- would be it. Sesshomaru huffed a little bit as he touched down in the courtyard, just inside the protective walls of his home. After his talk with the monk, and then releasing him so that he could go about what he had been doing before their very informative discussion, Sesshomaru had then decided to watch his niece work for a little while and then had left to return home to ready everything for her arrival.

Flicking his long hair over his shoulder, the young lord quietly made his way into the palace and headed straight for the wing of his home where the royal family lived. He did not wholly trust anyone as of yet- so seeing to Kagome's room's preparation would be a personal pleasure to him.

Already he had picked out a room for her, across the hall from his own room, and he was already thinking of the colorful silks, satins, and furs that would decorate not only her bedding, the pillows, blankets, but other things as well.

Upon reaching the room in question, he opened the door so that he could see the inside and just what needed worked on. Luckily the room was already furnished for a female. It had a nice sized western style, four post bed made of solid- sturdy white oak. A bureau, a vanity with a large oval mirror, several shelves and chests that could be used to hide or display secret treasures.

All in all the room (despite it's semi barren state) was beautifully put together. However, Sesshomaru was nothing if not a perfectionist. He saw the potential in everything and everyone he surrounded himself with, and automatically knew what needed improving, polishing ect.

And the room could use some definite polishing to make it worthy of his niece.

It took him the better part of the day to hunt down everything he needed so that he could fix the place up, but by the time he was finished...the room looked absolutely perfect.

He had even already visited the palace seamstress and commissioned her to make some kimono's and cloaks and sleeping attire for Kagome. He'd dragged out several small chests from his treasury, each one containing either gold or silver coins, and expensive trinkets that he carefully laid out on the vanity next to two small carved ivory boxes filled with exquisite perfumes, lotions and other things.

And then placed the rest of the treasure boxes on one of the shelves where Kagome would be able to find them easily if she ever had need of them. Once that was done, he laid out several silver and bejeweled combs, and brushes and then straightened his spine and took one last look around the room.

Clothing aside, everything was in place. The room was a spectacularly multi hued sight that he was sure that the pup would love.

Now all he had to do was finish up with everything else, get a wagon ready along with the child's payment for her hard work- and then he could leave to fetch- "I didn't want to believe it when I heard the servants speaking of your peculiar activities, but I suppose that it is fitting of you to prepare a room for your future mate." A feminine voice that was all to familiar to him, said.

Biting back the urge to snarl at the female in question as she came into the room, tainting it with her rancid scent, he turned his head to send a murderous glare at his mother. The old bitch knew better than to enter a room personally prepared by a male. By all rights he could strike her down in cold blood for her trespass.

"Mother, how nice to see you. To what do I owe this visit? And when will you be leaving?" Sesshomaru spoke quickly, a sign that his patience with the female was more than a little bit thin right now.

"Oh my son, can't a mother come see her son?"

"I care not if one can or not. I wish you gone from my palace. I have other things to do aside from cater to your whims." Sesshomaru said rudely. His mother gave him a disappointed look as she made her way over to the bed and started to reach out to touch one of the pillows, causing him to move quickly to snag her wrist and stop her before she could touch anything.

He did not want the pup to lay upon anything with her scent on it.

He might attack her if she did.

"You will not touch anything in this room mother." Sesshomaru said as he shifted his hold from her wrist to her shoulders and twisted her around so that he could push her towards the door.

"Who is the room for my son?"

"This Sesshomaru does not have to answer your question."

"You seem anxious to protect the female's gifts," His mother noted, causing him to bare his fangs at her and growl. "Well, I do hope that whoever she is, she is worthy of you- I would hate for her to have an unfortunate accident after you have mated."

"This Sesshomaru will not be mating now or ever." He said thinking only of what another female's presence within his home would do to his late brother's pup physically and mentally. All of which were nothing good.

"If you are not preparing the room for a female to mate with, then why- Oh...you must have finally decided to take a concubine. That's wonderful son! If she is of great beauty then once you tire of her you can give her to another lord to garner favor and finally take a mate."

His mother's words concocted the image of his young niece at the mercy of many of the various lords within his court- each image was worse than the last- and twisted at his insides until he was sure that he would wretch from the disgust. He would never subject a female to any of those males. Least of all his late brother's pup.

But he couldn't exactly say anything about the pup not being his concubine now either. Especially after declaring his intent never to mate.

He was stuck in a precarious position. And he feared that now, Kagome was trapped in a precarious position as well.


	8. Chapter 8

To say that Sesshomaru had thrown a temper tantrum unlike any that had ever been since the days of his late father- would be a gross understatement. He had been so pissed that he hadn't even paused to think of how immature some of his actions were until he had well and destroyed his mother's room, her furniture and even shredded her wardrobe.

And no- he wasn't fucking giving her any more.

The bitch could walk around naked and be sexually assaulted by his soldiers for all he cared- it meant nothing to him. Especially after the first pieces of his mother's gossip had reached his ears about his new concubine.

Gods he had had half a mind to seek out his mother and rip her to pieces! In more ways than one.

Kagome didn't deserve this shit. Hell, he doubted that she would even know what a concubine is or what the position would entail. Which meant that before he brought her here he would have to explain everything to her. But more than that, he already knew that once word got out about his concubine- everyone would come far and wide to _use_ \- er- he meant to say, see her. _See her_. And the fact that she was hayou would only make their desire to use/see her that much worse.

The only way that he could think of to save her at this point was to give her the position of his favored concubine. Though he had never had one before. The position was second only to his own within the palace since it is not outside the well of possibility that he could/would at some time mate said concubine and make her the Lady of his lands.

And since Sesshomaru had absolutely no intention of allowing Kagome to be passed around or being mated while Kagome lived with him, he would simply keep her as his favored concubine until she was either old enough to be mated to someone, or she wished to leave on her own.

In which case he planned to provide her a dowry fit for a queen, lands not far from where he lived, and even have a home built for her and soldiers to protect her.

And if she wished to be mated, then he would send for the most noble and honorable of males for her to meet in the hopes that one would strike her fancy. He had no wish to mate her to someone that he knew would abuse her tender heart, mind and body like most of their kind would.

She was a princess of the West dammit! _She deserved better._

And despite the current situation quickly snowballing out of control, he would see to it that she _had_ better.

Making quick work of the rest of his mother's wing of the palace, he then set everything aflame and then walked away. Not caring that his mother would need new rooms- if she made any demands of him, he would see to it that she slept tied down, spread eagle outside in her skin and nothing else- he had no time for her useless demands.

He needed to plan ahead for Kagome's arrival since it would no longer be the kind of arrival into his home that she may be expecting. Then again, he didn't exactly know what went on in the heads of female pups, so he was a little bit at a loss there.

Making his way from the fiery part of the palace, he managed to reach his treasury and pulled several large chests of gold, silver and semi precious trinkets and stones from the room and upon thinking about things for a moment, carried them to Kagome's room and placed them again the wall over by the window.

Once that was done, he opened one of the heavy chests and pulled out three hundred gold coins, two hundred and fifty silver, one hundred and twenty five bronze, and several jade pieces.

Not for Kagome, but for her human companions.

He knew that the pup would likely balk at the thought of leaving them behind. So once he spoke to her about the position of his favored concubine, perhaps he could hire the two humans to come and stay at the palace as her companions? It made sense.

The three of them almost functioned like a pack. So of course Kagome would not wish to leave them without first giving them some means to care for themselves.

However if he could hire them to come and stay in the palace and help him protect Kagome, then they need not ever worry about money, a home or food ever again. He would see to it personally. However he felt it only right to take something to them so that they can survive for a while.

The funds he would give them would be enough to buy clothing, food, and other things for quite a while if they used it wisely. But just in case they didn't, he would collect materials for Kagome to make things with and he would have them sold at the local market so that the pup could send them some of the money that she made.

But the rest of it would be added to her funds to do with as she wished.

Nodding his head upon finishing his current 'work' he then stepped outside of the room and gently closed the door that would likely become Kagome's prison and sighed. He was already dreading what he would have to say to her as well as the reason's why.

But it couldn't be helped.

Waling away from the room, his mother met him half way down the hall in a snit. No doubt she had ended her tea early to go see how he had retaliated against her for her damn rumors and had just been stunned by the fact that he had set her part of the palace ablaze.

"Well! Have you anything to say for that debacle?" The bitch spat, her eyes tinted pink with rage.

Sesshomaru merely grinned at his mother and said, "Fire is pretty." And just kept on walking as the female gaped at his back before letting out a loud angry screech and stomping off to parts unknown to likely think of some way to retaliate against him as he stepped outside and quickly ordered a few dozen soldiers, two of his generals a wagon and a carriage to be prepared for departure.

An hour later, Sesshomaru leaned back against the plush pillows of his carriage staring out the window in boredom. It would take them a few hours to travel to collect the pup this way, and while he may have wished to collect her personally, by himself- he couldn't very well allow his favored concubine to be seen. So the carriage was necessary.


	9. Chapter 9

Kagome was bouncing off the walls with excitement, both Miroku and Sang noted in amusement as they watched her scurry from one end of the room to look out of the hut's window to the other to do the same exact same thing. The hayou had been doing this for hours now, ever since she had awakened and bathed and gotten dressed in a nice white and pink kimono with little green and gold embroidered butterflies and beautifully detailed purple and white magnolia flowers in full bloom.

Her long blue black hair was up in an intricate knot, that Sango had helped her with and was held in place by a hand carved white shell floral hair comb. All in all, their young friend looked absolutely stunning.

Both Miroku and Sango had been teasing the girl off and on all morning about wanting to look pretty for her 'handsome uncle' which earned them no shortage of adorable pink blushes, stammered denials and in some cases- even outright glares.

Why just an hour ago she had even hissed at Sango like a cat when she had had the audacity to tell Kagome that if she wasn't going to be a good girl for her uncle then maybe she could tempt him into mating with her. She was simply teasing, knowing that even if she could tempt the regal inu that he was far above her in station and would never agree to mating her.

Naturally, Kagome didn't feel this was an welcome thought. But then neither had Miroku whom had slowly turned his head to look at his betrothed oddly before decided that perhaps he should drag her off to re stake his claim on his beloved demon slayer before the Daiyoukai could get there and whisk her away from his side or something.

Kagome didn't know what they were doing. She only knew that kissing was involved and that they came back into the main room in the front of the hut a little while later.

Their scents were a tad bit blended together though.

She knew this because the smell of them combined made her wrinkle her little nose and sneeze a few times.

She wasn't sure how long they teased her every time she looked out of one of the windows, but hours passed and finally just when Kagome was beginning to wonder if her uncle was even coming, she made out a carriage coming towards her home in the distance.

"Sango? Miroku? There's a carriage heading our way." She said as if she were uncertain about whether she should hide or not. Her tone must have belied her thoughts, because one moment her friends were sitting together on the floor and the next they were both up on their feet.

Miroku grabbing his staff with the gold tip and rings on it, and Sango grabbed her huge weapon and walked over to Kagome and whispered in one of her little black puppy ears to go hide until they let her know everything was okay. The two had been attacked enough by the locals to know that having a carriage head their way wasn't necessarily a good thing.

Especially for Kagome.

Her half demon blood got her in more than her fair share of scrapes over the years. Especially with humans in the local villages and such.

The two stood side by side as the carriage seemed to come to a stop before them and one of the doors was opened allowing them a view of the carriages occupant.

Sesshomaru took in the two human companions of his young niece, standing at the ready to do battle and raised a pale eyebrow at them as he stepped out of the cramped space that he had just spent the past few hours trapped in as the two tried to cover their blunder with stuttered greetings and explanations.

Needless to say, he was somewhat impressed by them for at least making an attempt to protect the pup that he would be claiming. If nothing else, he felt the humans were certainly either very brave, or very foolish.

He leaned more towards excusable stupidity coupled with bravery. It just seemed to fit the two more.

"Where is the pup?" He finally asked after a moment or so. The knot that had been in his stomach earlier, was now becoming painful. Making him feel more than somewhat nauseous as he listened to the careful replies of the two humans.

"Kagome is hiding inside for the moment. We thought it was best to have her where she couldn't be seen, just in case."

Nodding his head in approval, he walked past them as he said, "Call her. I have payment for her work. And I also need to speak to each of you about...changes to my plans."

"Changes?" Miroku asked curiously. Causing Sesshomaru to growl threateningly.

"This Sesshomaru regrets to inform you that circumstances of my taking in the pup have changed. Call her so that I may speak in depth and prepare her for what is to happen and get your thoughts as well."

"Yes!" Sango said as she hurried past the inu lord, damn near knocking him out of her way as she ran to do as he bid. One would naturally expect the inu to react badly to this fact, but for some reason- he seemed far more disturbed by whatever it was that he felt that he needed to speak to them about.

The hut was quiet for several moments as Sesshomaru and Miroku entered and quietly made their way over to sit down at the table when both males heard a joyful, "Uncle Sesshomaru!" mere moments before the inu felt small arms wrap around his waist and let out a low rumbling purr-like sound as he hugged the pup back.

"Hello pup," He said gently as he carefully pried her arms from around him and then dropped down to one knee in front of her and smiled faintly even as he said, "We need to speak of some things before I can take you with me." He didn't bother mentioning the fact that _'if'_ he was still to take her with him, he couldn't simply let her walk into the palace so woefully unprepared.

Doing so would not only be cruel but would ensure her demise.

Both of which were unacceptable to him.

Kagome blinked at her uncle and then slowly nodded her head and sat down next to him since he hadn't exactly let go of her small hands just yet. "Okay. What is it that you wanted to speak about?"

"To begin, this one must first apologize to you for this and the potential harm it may inflict upon you, little one. It was never my intention to _degrade_ you in such a way...but, do you know what a concubine is?" He asked, his gold eyes locking on her pretty little face and staying there as he tried to gauge her reaction.

Kagome blinked at him again yet couldn't seem to wrap her mind around what he was trying to say. However she finally managed to answer him with a softly spoken no. Causing the inu to give her a pained look as he gently tugged on her hands until he had her sitting in his lap before he launched into great and vivid detail as to what a concubine is and why it was relevant to her.


	10. Chapter 10

Several hours later, Sesshomaru found himself sitting back in the carriage with his brother's pup next to him, pressed firmly against his side, her small head resting on his stomach as he gently ran his fingertips through her long silken hair while her two pack mates sat across from them, both staring a hole through his skull.

The monk's stare was particularly malicious. So much so that it made where he had been punched in the face by said male, throb in a phantom like ache.

He knew that the two were upset and angry with how things had turned out.

He himself was pretty pissed about the situation that his brother's pup had suddenly been thrust into as well. But then it was a somewhat _awkward_ situation for all of them. Himself included.

He had thought that he would be able to take the pup into his home without much issue and raise her as a hime of his bloodline deserved. He hadn't wanted this for her. To be reduced to that of his personal pleasure slave. Even one as a somewhat equal standing to his own in status. It was just a bit too much to take in for the pup.

As it was, he had _tried_ to talk her into letting him set her and her pack mates up at one of his vacation homes. Far away form his palace and the malicious rumors spreading there.

He had made it clear that it may be safer for her to reside elsewhere where only he and her pack mates (should they decide not to go with her right away) could get to her. At least he had been trying to do so until...the slayer had asked him if it would truly be safe _without_ him personally overseeing the staff and soldiers that resided there. And upon carefully thinking things through for a moment or so, he had merely sighed and shook his head.

 _Dammit all._

Unwilling to lie and say that it would indeed be totally safe when it was very possible that some of the staff and soldiers just might make it their personal mission in life to destroy the pup. Sesshomaru had simply let the subject drop and continued speaking.

He had laid every thought about the situation and every counter measure that he had come up with, out for the three so that the pup could see for herself just what measures he was willing to take to protect her.

He had mentioned marking her as pack. But it would have to be someplace where only he or they could see the mark. No one else must ever look upon it or they may figure out why he was more than reluctant to hand her over to others to be used.

But that was only part of taking the status of his favorite concubine.

Another part would be the blending of their scents, which he didn't bother lying about- doing so was a somewhat intimate gesture. However he had already promised that since she was still very young, he could not simply take her to his bed to get it done.

Which made blending their scents somewhat bothersome and _awkward_ for the lord since it meant that he would have to place her somewhere and loosen her kimono so that her stomach, inner thighs and legs were bare and use his hand to spill himself on her flesh and rub his warm seed into her stomach and inner thighs.

He had of course, blushed at explaining this to the pup who had merely stared at him with wide almost frightened eyes as he had continued to tell the three his plans.

He assured them that if Kagome were to take up the position of his favored concubine, none but himself and immediate pack could touch her. Any who did- would die. _Slowly._

His eyes had started to bleed red a little bit as he said this. Meaning that the mere thought of another touching Kagome in an intimate manner was almost enough to send him into a rage.

He also told them that she would remain intact for as long as simply blending their scents would allow. He would not take her to his bed at the urging of others, nor would he do so to sate himself. He would not touch her in such a way unless she, herself instigated the act.

And then he had made her promise to at least wait another hundred years or so before doing so. Kagome readily agreed there since she wasn't ready to be bedded by anyone. She had always wanted to save herself for the one that she loved and married.

The inu lord then went on to say that if by a certain age she wished to marry or mate- he would search out only the most honorable of males to court her. He would even provide her with a dowry fit for a Queen, among which would be a palace that he would design and build since the only stipulation that he would have for her mate/husband aside from treating her well and never laying his hands on her in violence and forcing himself on her in a fit of rage to teach her her place, would be that he could never take her too far away from Sesshomaru's side.

Her palace would be smaller, and cozier, but it would also be built within his lands. and he would provide half of the soldiers, servants and of course, thirty well trained and loyal assassins (without her mate's knowledge). So that they could keep an eye on her for him and report to him about any funny business and threats to her wellbeing.

He mentioned that while at the palace, he would spend time with her each morning and each evening. He would even let her do whatever she wished to do. Shopping for new things to use in her crafts, or simply spending his money on gifts for her friends- he had more than enough to allow her to get a little bit carried away. Not that he actually expected her to spend every coin that he had.

Though it would be somewhat impressive to the inu lord if she did.

He also planned to help her establish a nice way to sell as much as her crafts as possible in the local villages and towns. Including the fact that he planned to bully people seeking alliances with his household, ruthlessly and shamelessly into purchasing a thousand items per person in their house hold.

Sure he would be robbing them blind of their wealth, but if it helped his Kagome then he'd damn well do whatever it took. Even if he had to resort to fucking blackmail.

He mentioned that while in his house hold, he would attend to her every need in person. Regardless of what he was currently busy with.

 _Nothing_ would be put before his Kagome. He would see to it himself.

And in the end, when Sesshomaru had finally finished speaking, the monk had slugged him a good one for dragging the pup into this situation in the first place while the pup had simply sighed and gotten up from her seat to go grab her bags. Saying something along the lines of; She would take the position, but the second anyone stepped out of line- she expected heads to roll.

Oh and Sango and Miroku were coming too.

Sesshomaru had merely agreed quietly and then glared at the monk for hitting him. Though he knew that as much as he wanted to tear him to pieces at that moment, he wouldn't. The male and female were protective of the pup and for that reason alone he couldn't be angry with them for defending her honor.

Even if it was against him.

However it didn't stop him from abusing the male a little bit by using him to load the wagon that he'd brought for the goods that he was purchasing from his Kagome.

The monk had whined like his late brother, making the inu lord's normally placid and blank expression falter a bit as he had watched from the sidelines as the male had loaded the wagon down with Kagome's handmade items. Once that was finished and the pup and the slayer had come out of the hut to rejoin them- Sesshomaru had quickly ushered the pup into the carriage, making sure to help her up so that there wouldn't be any accidents.

He more than anyone knew how clumsy some hanyou pups could be. Especially those of the inu variety.

Long ago, he could vaguely recall taking care of his brother, and having Inuyasha trailing after him while he was out of the palace patrolling his lands. He also vaguely recalled the many, many times that his brother had been totting after him as a pup, only to suddenly loose his balance, or something and go rolling down some very interesting, and somewhat questionably _steep_ hills, ravines- hell the pup had even toppled off of a cliff a time or two!

And each time he had, Sesshomaru had slowly turned to spy where he had vanished and felt his eye twitch in irritation since he knew that he'd have to go and fetch the blasted brat before he started screaming oaths so foul that it made the inu's ears begin to bleed.

Once the wagon and the carriage were both full to capacity with everything that the pup and her pack wished to bring with them, Sesshomaru had climbed into the carriage last and the moment that he had sat down on the plush white cushion, Kagome had leaned against his side and he'd let her wrap herself around him so that he could take care of soothing her frazzled nerves.

He wasn't sure what awaited them back at his palace, but he knew one thing for certain- he would protect the pup until his dying breath. He at least owed her, and her late parents that much.


End file.
